Xbox Boss Promises “A Lot To Share” At E3 2019

Microsoft executive vice-president of gaming Phil Spencer has teased that Xbox has “a lot to share” at E3 2019. Spencer tweeted about the event moments after Sony announced it would not be attending E3 next year.

“A lot to share with fans at E3 2019. Always a high point of the year to witness the industry’s creativity and the energy of the community,” Spencer tweeted. An hour later, Xbox followed up by tweeting out to fans that the company “can’t wait” to see everyone at E3 2019. Although the company has not confirmed it, one of the announcements that Xbox is looking to share could be the new console teased at E3 2018.

Xbox may be presenting at a different time for E3 2019 as well. Xbox business lead for Asia Jeremy Hinton tweeted that Microsoft would be moving its presentation time in consideration of Australian viewers. We’ve reached out to Microsoft to confirm, as well as whether the company intends to have its E3 presentation outside the event hall, like this past year.

The absence of Sony from E3 2019 will be the first time the company won’t be attending the event since E3 was founded. Sony has shared the spotlight at E3 with both Microsoft and Nintendo for a number of years, so it’s a fairly big surprise to see the company willingly sit out. The first details that Sony wouldn’t be in attendance were announced via the ESA. Sony followed-up with a confirmation.

“As the industry evolves, Sony Interactive Entertainment continues to look for inventive opportunities to engage the community,” the company said in a statement to GameSpot. “PlayStation fans mean the world to us and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019. We are exploring new and familiar ways to engage our community in 2019 and can’t wait to share our plans with you.”

Harley Quinn Spin-off Movie Gets A Full Title — And It’s Very Long

Actress Margot Robbie has revealed the official title for the upcoming Harley Quinn spin-off movie, and you may not be able to say it in one breath. The film is titled Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), Robbie, who is also producing the film, revealed in a post to her personal Instagram page.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that this is indeed the final title for the film. It apparently takes inspiration from the Oscar-winning 2014 movie Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). In the same way that film was shortened to Birdman, it’s expected that Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) will simply be known as Birds of Prey.

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Robbie will be playing Harley Quinn for a second time in the new film, following her first appearance as Quinn in 2016’s Suicide Squad. Her co-stars include Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell in the role of Black Canary, Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain, and Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya. Ewan McGregor plays the bad guy, Black Mask.

Cathy Yan (Dead Pigs) is directing Birds of Prey, which hits theaters in February 2020. Little is known about the plot of Birds of Prey, but given the title, it will likely touch on Harley Quinn and her … emancipation from the Joker.

The film was written by Christina Hodson, who previously wrote the Naomi Watts movie Shut In and the upcoming Transformers spinoff Bumblebee.

Valve Seemingly Kills Off Steam Link, Almost Sold Out Worldwide

Valve’s Steam Link device is almost sold out, and the company has signaled it doesn’t plan to restock. It’s already completely gone in Europe, and the company says it’s almost sold out in the US as well.

In a statement, Valve said it “intends to continue supporting the existing Steam Link hardware as well as distribution of the software versions of Steam Link.” That statement could signal a new version of the Steam Link hardware coming, or simply letting existing users know that they’ll keep receiving support. The name has also been applied to a mobile app (available on non-Apple devices) and it has been integrated into TVs. The statement points out that support for those digital applications will continue as well.

The Steam Link allowed you to stream games from your gaming PC onto any display. Games could be streamed at 1080p and 60 FPS, and the device supported the Steam controller as well as third-party ones like the Xbox One, as long as you have the proper attachments for wireless controllers. The Steam Link went on sale last year for $20, and then received an even deeper temporary discount later in the year. Valve may have been attempting to clear some stock.

Steam Link was one budget option for getting your PC games onto your living room display, as long as you had a powerful PC to run the games natively. Valve also produced Steam Machines for the same purpose, to make PC gaming a more console-like plug-and-play experience.

Fortnite Patch’s New Dynamite Weapon Already Disabled

A new update is now available for Fortnite. On top of kicking off a new limited-time event, the cowboy-themed Wild West mode, patch 6.30 introduces another weapon to the game’s extensive arsenal: Dynamite. However, you won’t be able to find it at the moment, as the developer has had to temporarily disable the item shortly after it arrived.

As Epic explained on Twitter, the Dynamite has been removed from Fortnite “while [it investigates] an increase in client crashes.” The developer hasn’t provided a time table for when players could expect the weapon to return, but it says it will provide a further update on its status once it has more information.

The Dynamite is an uncommon item that drops in stacks of three. It can be found as floor loot or in chests, Vending Machines, Supply Drops, and Supply Llamas, and it sounds particularly formidable. Its throw range is shorter than that of a Grenade, but it deals 70 damage to other players and a whopping 800 to structures.

Dynamite is also one of the few items that appear in Fortnite’s new Wild West LTM. This mode plays out much like a typical Battle Royale match, but it only features weapons and items that might be used by cowboys and cowgirls, such as the Hunting Rifle, Pump Shotgun, and Double Barrel Shotgun. Another weapon, the Minigun, was also available in the mode, but Epic recently announced that has since been removed.

In addition to the new item and LTM, update 6.30 introduced the Ghost Pistol to Fortnite’s paid Save the World mode. Epic had previously said the mode would follow in Battle Royale’s footsteps and go free-to-play this year, but that has been delayed as the developer needs more time to work on some reworks and additional features.

You Can Win Actual Money In Fortnite’s New Tournament, Here’s How To Enter

Talented Fortnite players might want to get practicing, as this weekend sees the start of a new tournament that could net you up to $1m in cash prizes. Winter Royale, as the competition is titled, has a qualifying stage starting November 24 and sets of finals over the following two weeks.

Publisher Epic Games says anyone can enter the qualifying stage; your highest score during any event session will be the one that counts. The top performers from North America and Europe will then go through to separate sets of finals: Europe’s will run from November 30 to December 1, while North America’s is scheduled for December 11-12. Winter Royale has a total of $1m available in prize money, though it isn’t clear how that total is divided.

The process is essentially a test run to help Epic prepare for the Fortnite World Cup next year. It will all be played through the in-game Online Tournament system using the same settings as the currently available Pop-Up Cup.

Fortnite’s new 6.30 update arrives just in time for the tournament, adding a new Dynamite item, a Wild West limited-time mode, and more. The Dynamite throwable has since been temporarily disabled, however, as Epic investigates “an increase in client crashes.”

Fortnite Winter Royale Tournament Schedule

  • Winter Royale Qualifier (Open): November 24-25

  • Europe Winter Royale Finals: November 30 – December 1

  • North America Winter Royale Finals: December 11-12

Black Friday 2018: Best Deals On PS4 DualShock 4 Controllers (US)

If you own a PlayStation 4, sooner or later you’ll probably need at least one other controller. Whether you want to add a couch co-op partner or the battery dies in the one you’re using, it’s always good to have a spare around. The biggest problem is that DualShock 4 controllers are expensive. But thanks to Black Friday, everyone’s favorite time to buy gifts for themselves–er–others, you can get PS4 controllers at a sizable discount. The only question is where you can find a deal.

Luckily for anyone on the hunt for an extra controller (or three, because Overcooked 2 is amazing), most of the big video game retailers are offering DualShock 4 PS4 controllers for $40 (down from $60). They even come in an array of colors, which makes it easy to tell which controller is yours. Here’s where you can get one for cheap.

Most of those sale prices are available now, but some will go into effect on Thursday or Black Friday. You can see when all the Black Friday deals start here. Note that some retailers have been pushing their deals live early to get a leg up on the competition.

For other fantastic deals, check out our PS4 Black Friday roundup, which lists all the sale prices we’ve seen on PlayStation 4 consoles, games, accessories, and services. You’re all but guaranteed to find some great deals on items you’ve had your eye on. Or check out all of our Black Friday coverage for the best deals around on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, TVs, movies, and more.

And if you’re in the market for gifts, check out our PS4 accessories gift guide, and our PS4 game gift guide.

Fortnite Update 6.30 Adds Dynamite, Wild West LTM; Patch Notes Released

Epic Games has released a new update for Fortnite on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android, and it’s a pretty big one. Update 6.30 adds a new weapon, the Dynamite stick, as well as a new LTM named Wild West. In addition, the patch adds a new Ghost Pistol weapon for Save the World.

Wild West, as the name suggests, restricts the weapon and item selection to those that might be used by cowboys and cowgirls. That means you can use the Hunting Rifle, Pump Shotgun, Double Barrel Shotgun, Six Shooter, and Minigun only. Dynamite, the new throwable, is usable in the mode, except Epic says it has temporarily disabled the item while it investigates “an increase in client crashes.”

Assuming Dynamite returns to action soon, it appears to be a formidable new tool. It deals 70 damage to players and 800 to structures, and is only available in uncommon rarity. It can be found in stacks of three from floor loot, chests, Vending Machines, Supply Llamas, and Supply Drops.

Update 6.30’s final new significant addition is the Ghost Pistol, a Save the World-exclusive weapon that can shoot through structures. Take a look at all the details and more in the patch notes below, via Epic.

Fortnite Update 6.30 Patch Notes

Battle Royale

Limited Time Mode: Wild West

Summary

Fight for the Victory Royale using a limited set of weapons and items such as Hunting Rifles, Shotguns and Dynamite.

Mode Details

  • Available Weapons
    • Hunting Rifle
    • Pump Shotgun
    • Double Barrel Shotgun
    • Six Shooter
    • Minigun
  • Available Items
    • Campfire
    • Bandages
    • Medical Kits
    • Dynamite
    • Slurp Juice
  • Supply Drops can contain
    • Epic Six Shooters
    • Legendary Double Barrel Shotguns and Miniguns
    • Slurp Juice

Weapons And Items

  • New Weapon: Dynamite
    • Uncommon rarity, found in stacks of 3.
    • Available from floor loot, chests, Vending Machines, Supply Llamas, and Supply Drops.
    • 70 damage to players and 800 damage to structures.
    • Explosion is in the shape of a flat cylinder
      • 1600 units in diameter and 384 units in height.
    • Initiating a throw will start a 5-second fuse that canโ€™t be canceled.
    • Throw range is shorter than standard Grenades.

Events

New Tournament: Scavenger Pop-Up Cup Duos

  • Scavenger game mode adjustments:
    • Material cap reduced from 500 to 300.
    • Drop count of Clingers and Grenades increased from 3 to 5.
  • Safe zone changes
    • Reduced the radius of Circle 3 from 20000 to 15000
    • Reduced the radius of Circle 4 from 10000 to 7500
    • Circle 4 is now the first circle partially outside of the previous safe zone (was circle 5)
    • Increased chances of supply drops in later circles
    • Circle 9 now travels twice as far but takes twice as long to close

Save The World

Heroes

  • 8 Bit Demo returns to the Weekly Store.
    • Explosives expert who groups enemies with Decoy before finishing them with a hail of missiles.
    • Available Wednesday, November 21 at 7 PM EST until Wednesday, November 28 at 7 PM EST.

Weapons And Items

  • Ghost Pistol added to the Weekly Store.
    • A slow firing pistol that shoots ghostly projectiles that pass through walls and enemies.
    • Available Wednesday, November 21 at 7 PM EST until Wednesday, November 28 at 7 PM EST.

Kingdom Hearts 3 “Together” Trailer Unites The Whole Cast

Kingdom Hearts 3 has completed development, and Square Enix has released a new trailer to mark the occasion. While most of the prior trailers have focused primarily on a single cameo like Pooh Bear or Rapunzel, this one celebrates the full scope of the Disney mash-up. You may see it in cinemas if you go to see a movie in the near future.

The “Together” trailer featured above includes characters and settings from Frozen, Tangled, Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Big Hero Six, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Hercules. Those join some familiar locales from the history of the series, as this final entry looks to wrap up its sprawling story of light battling against the forces of darkness.

The tweet that announced production had wrapped also mentioned that now would be a good time to catch up with Kingdom Hearts 1.5, 2.5, and 2.8. Each of those are included in the Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far bundle, which costs $40. That includes both of the remastered previous mainline games, along with side-stories like Chain of Memories, Birth By Sleep, and Dream Drop Distance.

Kingdom Hearts 3 releases January 25, 2019, and will be the first new numbered entry since Kingdom Hearts 2 in 2005. Fans have been waiting a long time to see this story resolve, and Square Enix and Disney have put the requisite work in to make it a treat for fans–including pulling familiar voices from its various Disney movies.

New Fortnite Update Coming Soon, Here’s When

The next Fortnite update is right around the corner. Developer Epic Games has announced that Fortnite’s v6.30 update is slated to arrive on Tuesday, November 20. It’ll be available at 8 AM ET, which is 5 AM PT and 1 PM in the UK. In Australia, that works out to 11 PM.

“Something Wild this way comes…,” Epic wrote on Twitter in its announcement of the update and the timing. It’s not exactly clear what that’s meant to tease, but we’ll know soon.

The in-game news menu (see below) in Fortnite shows that a new item, Dynamite, is coming to Fortnite soon. “Light the fuse and wait for the boom,” reads its official description. It could be that this new update introduces Dynamite, and we’ll know for sure very soon.

In other Fortnite news, Scrubs actor Donald Faison recently responded to Fortnite using his “Poison” dance in the game, saying, “They jacked that sh**.”

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